Home-baked Bibingka

Description:
In my search for a dessert using buco, I came upon Panlasang Pinoy's recipe for bibingka. I thought it would be a good idea to top mine with lots of fresh buco strips instead of niyog. The result was a moist, scrumptious bibingka, with a nice coconut flavor and the right saltiness from quick-melt cheese. Another good thing about this bibingka is that it is baked in the oven and it stays moist even at room temperature. I am truly happy for this bibingka recipe and I don't think I will be buying Ferino's anymore. You can check the cooking video at http://panlasangpinoy.com/2010/03/22/rice-cake-bibingka-recipe/.

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 tablespoons butter (I prefer it softened to make creaming easier.)
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup coconut milk (I used Kara coconut milk.)
1/4 cup fresh milk
Precut banana leaves (Pass the banana leaves over the fire on the stove to soften the leaves.)

Toppings:
1 piece salted duck egg, sliced
1/2 cup grated cheese
(For my version, I used fresh buco strips and cubed quick-melt cheese for the toppings.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Carefully place banana leaves inside a 9-inch round pan, making sure the leaves reach the sides as well (the banana leaves lend a nice flavor to the bibingka so don't skip this part by using baking paper).
Combine rice flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In another mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Add in the dry ingredients then mix some more.
Gradually add in the combined coconut milk and milk, and whisk together well.
Pour mixture in the prepared pan.
Baked for 15 minutes then take out gently, not turning the oven at this point. The bibingka is just a little set and not fully cooked so be careful.
Place toppings on the bibingka, then put it back in the oven to bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is puffed and golden brown.
You can brush tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar if you like (but I opt not to do this anymore; bibingka's perfect the way it is).